Shakhtar stun Barcelona as they edge to unlikely victory in open Group H
For a Barcelona side on the brink of the knockouts prior to this evening, you’d have expected a faster start than the one Xavi’s side produced. An Ilkay Gundogan popshot aside, Shakhtar arguably had the best chance of the opening exchanges when Mykola Matviyenko freed himself inside the box, but his ferocious strike was fired straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
As far as controlling the game was concerned, Barça were having no troubles, but it was finding that final pass in the final third that was proving to be their main stumbling block.
It turned out Shakhtar succeeded where Barcelona failed before the break as they took a surprise lead. After a solid passing move, one we’re accustomed to seeing from Barca, Giorgi Gocholeishvili dug out a perfect cross for Danylo Sikan to guide home a perfect header past a despairing Ter Stegen.
The visitors must’ve been given a half-time rocket from Xavi, as they came out after the break reinvigorated. It didn’t take long for them to work an opening either, as Ferran Torres stepped in off the left and curled an effort narrowly over the crossbar.
But as Barca pushed and probed for a leveller, they were almost picked off on the break. Ter Stegen came to the rescue to deny Sikan his second of the afternoon, and that was enough for Xavi, who followed that up with a quadruple substitution.
Those changes failed to really have the desired effect, as the five-time European champions continued to struggle in the final third. That wasn’t all down to their own shortcomings though, as some resolute Shakhtar defending was enough to keep Barca at arm's length.
Victory was almost more handsome for Shakhtar when Newerton curled home a stunning strike, but the assistant’s flag cut short his joy.
It wasn’t a prolonged period of anguish for the Ukrainian outfit though, as they survived seven minutes of stoppage time to secure a famous victory over the Spanish giants that fires them firmly back into qualification contention.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Giorgi Gocholeishvili (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Check out the match summary here.
